Apparatus for storing and positioning the leader of an ingot in a continuous casting apparatus

ABSTRACT

Means for storing and positioning a dummy ingot in a continuous casting apparatus comprises a guide rail extending from the ingot output end to the level of the upper part of the casting apparatus, a carriage displaceable on the guide rail between the ingot output end and the upper part level, and a storage basket for the dummy ingot mounted on the carriage for movement therewith.

United States Patent 1191 Pietryka 1 Oct. 2, 1973 i 1 APPARATUS FOR STORING AND POSITIONING THE LEADER OF AN INGOT IN A CONTINUOUS CASTING APPARATUS [75] Inventor:

[731 Assignees: Societe Fives Lille Cail, Paris,

France; Konstruktionsburo fur Stahl und Walzwerke, Antwerpnerstrasse, Germany 221 Filed: Jan. 21, 1971 21 App1.No.: 108,292

Joseph Pietryka, Paris, France [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 23, 1970 France 7002405 [52] US. Cl. 164/274 [51] Int. Cl B22d 11/08 [58] Field of Search 164/274, 282

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,080,625 Pearson et a1. 164/274 Mitchell 164/274 Bollig 164/274 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 971,268 9/1964 Great Britain 164/282 21,971 12/1966 Japan 164/274 Primary Examiner-R0bert D. Baldwin Attorney-Kurt Kelman [57] ABSTRACT Means for storing and positioning a dummy ingot in a continuous casting apparatus comprises a guide rail extending from the ingot output end to the level of the upper part of the casting apparatus, a carriage displaceable on the guide rail between the ingot output end and the upper part level, and a storage basket for the dummy ingot mounted on the carriage for movement therewith.

8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 2 973 SHEET 2 BF 2 NdE I N VENTOR. JOSEPH PIETRYKA Xwl KW AGENT APPARATUS FOR STORING AND POSITIONING THE LEADER OF AN INGOT IN A CONTINUOUS CASTING APPARATUS The present invention relates to improvements in a continuous ingot casting apparatus incorporating guide means for the cast ingots, such as an installation for producing flat ingots and billets.

Apparatus of this type comprises an upper part wherein the ingot mold is mounted, a guide means below the ingot mold and receiving the ingot therefrom, the ingot taking first a curved path through the guide means along an arcuate guideway defined by a succession of guide rollers, and then a straight path wherein the ingots are straightened and wherefrom pinch rollers remove the ingots at an ingot output end.

As is known, dummy ingots are used in installations of this kind to remove cast ingots from their molds. At the start of casting the metal melt, the head of the dummy ingot is placed into the open bottom of the mold to close the same. The melt is then poured into the mold and, as it solidifies, it becomes fused to the head of the dummy ingot. When the dummy ingot is pulled, it moves the attached ingot with it out of the mold. The dummy ingot is pulled by means of driven pinch rollers in the guideway of the guide means and moves the attached ingot between these rollers and the succeeding guide rollers in the final run. At the output end, the ingot is severed from its dummy ingot, and the dummy ingot is removed and stored until the next castmg.

Conventionally, the dummy ingot has then been reintroduced into the casting installation before the next casting by positioning it from below in the arcuate guideway below the ingot mold and moving it upwardly into the mold for fusion to the casting. Thus, it cannot be placed in the installation until the last ingot or billet has been removed therefrom so as to make room for the dummy ingot and, in addition, the dummy ingot must be very long.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a simple apparatus for storing and positioning a dummy ingot in the upper part of the casting installation, and which enables-the dummy ingot to be introduced into the installation at different points.

This and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the invention with a guide support, such as a rail or girder, arranged above the ingot casting apparatus and extending from the ingot output end thereof to the level of the upper part, a carriage displaceably mounted on the guide support, preferably by rollers or wheels, for movement between the ingot output end and the upper part level, and a storage receptacle, preferably a basket, for the dummy ingot mounted on the carriage for movement therewith.

According to one preferred feature of the present invention, the basket has a compartment for holding the dummy ingot. A device is provided for raising and lowering the basket in respect of the carriage, which device may be a slidable arm mounting the basket on the carriage. Furthermore, means may be provided for changing the relative position of the basket in respect of the guide support, for instance by pivoting the basket on its slidable support arm.

In one embodiment of this invention, the dummy ingot is introduced into the ingot mold from above, in which case means is arranged above the ingot mold for raising and guiding the dummy ingot from the receptacle moved to the upper part level of the continuous casting apparatus.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of two now preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of one embodiment of a continuous casting apparatus incorporating the improved dummy ingot storing and positioning means; and

FIG. 2 is a similar view of a modified embodiment thereof.

Referring now to the drawing and first to FIG. I, the continuous ingot casting apparatus of generally conventional type is shown to include an ingot mold 10 in the upper part of the apparatus, the mold being mounted on a platform 12 supported on frame 42 which also supports the three-part guideway 14 through which the dummy ingot and attached ingot are pulled in a curved path into the straight path 16, at the output end whereof there is mounted a cutter 18 for severing the dummy ingot from the ingot, the dummy ingot then being moved away on roller conveyor 20.

In accordance with the present invention, the installation includes means for storing, handling and positioning the dummy ingot. This comprises a guide support 22 arranged above the ingot casting apparatus and being substantially parallel to the path of the cast ingot in the apparatus. The guide support may be a girder or rail.

A carriage or trolley 24 is displaceably mounted on the guide support 22 for movement between the ingot output end and the upper part level of the continuous casting apparatus. In the illustrated embodiment, the carriage has wheels 26 engaging the guide rail 22 for rollingly displacing the carriage on the rail. Movement may be effected by a drive mounted on the carriage and turning the wheels. The wheels may be pinions engaging a rack on the guide support.

An arm 28 is mounted in carriage 24 for sliding movement along antifriction bearings 30 perpendicularly to the direction of displacement of the carriage, and the lower end of the arm carries storage receptacle 32 for the leader. The vertical displacement of the arm 28 in carriage 24 may be effected by any suitable means, such as a rack-and-pinion drive, a jack, a winchand-cable, and the like.

The storage receptacle 32 is a basket comprising a compartment for holding the dummy ingot and is constituted by two braced sides arranged in two rows of crossbars defining between them a longitudinal passage serving as a compartment holding the dummy ingot.

In the interior walls of the basket sides and between the cross bars of the lower row are formed grooves for accommodating the rollers of conveyor 20. This construction permits the basket to be placed on the conveyor so that the tangent plane of the tops of the conveyor rollers extend into the interior of the basket compartment. This makes it easy to introduce the dummy ingot into the basket compartment because the dummy ingot is supported and entrained by the conveyor rollers.

Guide rollers 34 are arranged in the upper portion of the basket compartment, and depressable stops (not shown) permit the dummy ingot to be held in the compartment.

The casting operation proceeds as follows:

After a casting has been finished and before the next casting starts, the ingot mold is cleaned and prepared for the new casting and the carriage 24 with basket 32 holding the dummy ingot 36 is moved to the level of the upper part of the casting installation, as indicated in chain-dotted lines in FIG. 1. The dummy ingot is then attached to cable 39 operated by wheeled winch 41 displaceably mounted on overhead girder 38 which may also be used to move the ladles containing the metal melt to the casting installation Upon operation of winch 41, the dummy ingot is pulled out of the storage basket 32, and movement of the winch into the position indicated in chain-dotted lines will bring the dummy ingot into alignment with the ingot mold 10, whereupon the winch is again operated in a reverse direction to lower the dummy ingot slowly into the mold. The temporarily emplaced guide rollers 40 at the mold mouth will guide the dummy ingot during its slow descent through the mold and out of its bottom opening into the guideway 14 where it is held in place and eventually entrained by the driven rollers defining the guideway after the cable 39 has been detached from the dummy ingot. The molten metal is then poured from the ladle into the ingot mold to initiate the casting operation, and the cast ingot is fused to the dummy ingot head in the mold.

Alternatively and functionally equivalently, the entire basket may be attached to the cable 39 and positioned above the ingot mold 10 in vertical alignment therewith. In this case, it would be advantageous to mount the basket at the end of arm 28 for rapid detachment therefrom and to provide means for centering the basket over the ingot mold. Means would also have to be provided for controlling the slow descent of the dummy ingot into the mold. Furthermore, the guide support 22 could be extended to a level above the ingot mold, in which case no winch and cable would be needed to lift the storage receptacle 32 to the desired level above the ingot mold. Rather, the displacement of the arm 28 perpendicularly to the direction of displacement of carriage 24 would move the basket 32 into vertical alignment with the ingot mold above its mouth.

As the casting proceeds, the dummy ingot is pulled through the installation by driven rollers engaging the dummy ingot in the stations 14 and 16, pulling the attached cast ingot with and behind it through these stations. At the output end, the dummy ingot 36 is severed from the cast ingot by cutter 18, at which point the rotational speed of the rollers of conveyor is increased to separate the severed dummy ingot rapidly from the cast ingot. The rollers move the detached dummy ingot into the basket 32 which has previously been placed on the conveyor 20 by moving the carriage 24 back into the position shown in full lines in FIG. 1. As soon as the dummy ingot is fully lodged in the basket 32, the arm 28 is lifted to disengage the basket and dummy ingot from the conveyor rollers whose speed is then reduced again. The path is now open for removal of the first ingot or billet produced.

While the casting proceeds in a continuous manner, the dummy ingot is stored in basket 32 which is moved to any desired position out of the production path. It would also be possible to extend the guide support 22 to the right (in FIG. 1) so that the dummy ingot may be cleaned and suitably prepared for the next casting operation in a zone remote from the casting.

In the modified embodiment of FIG. 2, no reference numerals have been provided for those parts of the installation described hereinabove in connection with FIG. 1, the driven rollers 15 and 17 being shown in this figure for moving the leader and the cast ingots through the guideway 14 and straightening station 16. In this embodiment, the dummy ingot is introduced into the upper part of the casting apparatus at the guideway 14 rather than through the mouth of the ingot mold from above. As will be seen, the upper portion of the guideway has a plurality of guide rollers 42 which may be temporarily displaced from their normal position to enable the dummy ingot to be introduced into the guideway. In the illustrated embodiment, these displaceable rollers are mounted on a jack 44 for movement into and out of the guideway.

The dummy ingot storage basket 32! of this embodiment is pivotally mounted at the end of the arm 28' which is displaceably mounted in carriage 24', a jack 46 being linked to the basket and arm, respectively, for pivoting the basket and thus to permit a change in the plane of the basket in respect to the support arm 28'. The dummy ingot is introduced into the installation by outwardly displacing guide rollers 42 so as to provide an entrance into the guideway, as shown in FIG. 2, moving the carriage 24' into the illustrated position in relation to the guideway entrance, lifting the arm 28' and pivoting the basket so as to place the basket into the entrance. The dummy ingot may now be moved out of the basket upwardly into the guideway towards and into the lower opening of the ingot mold by means of driven rollers arranged on the basket or any other suitable means for moving the dummy ingot out of the has ket compartment wherein it has been stored.

In all other respects, the installation operates like the one described in connection with FIG. 1, the basket being moved into the position shown in chain-dotted lines in FIG. 2 after it has discharged the dummy ingot and in readiness for receiving the dummy ingot from the output end of the installation.

The guide rail may assume any desired position and need not be parallel to the casting, in which case the support arm is pivotal about a horizontal axis on carriage 24 so that the basket may be brought to the desired level when the carriage is at the end of the guide rail 22 adjacent the ingot mold. Also, the basket may be mounted on the carriage by any suitable device for raising the basket in respect of the carriage, for instance a tackle. The storage receptacle itself may be of any suitable structure designed to hold the dummy ingot. Thus, many variations and modifications may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a continuous ingot casting apparatus having a vertically extending upper part and a horizontally extending ingot output end at a level below the upper part, a means for storing and positioning a dummy ingot in the upper part, this means comprising 1. a guide support arranged above the ingot casting apparatus and extending from the ingot output end thereof to the level of the upper part,

2. a carriage displaceably mounted on the guide support for movement between the ingot output end and the upper part level,

3. a storage receptacle for the dummy ingot mounted on the carriage for movement therewith, and

4. a device for raising the receptacle in respect of the carriage.

2. In the combination of claim 1, the guide support being a rail and the carriage being rollingly displaceable along said rail.

3. In the combination of claim 1, an ingot mold in the upper part of the apparatus, and means arranged above the ingot mold for raising and guiding the dummy ingot from the receptacle moved to the upper part level.

4. In the combination of claim 1, the guide support being substantially parallel to the path of the cast ingot in the apparatus.

5. In the combination of claim 1, the storage receptacle being a basket comprising a compartment for holding the dummy ingot.

6. In the combination of claim 5, the basket raising device consisting of an arm slidably mounted in the carriage, and the basket being mounted at one end of the slidable arm.

7. In the combination of claim 6, the basket being pivotally mounted at the end of the slidable arm, and means for pivoting the basket in respect of the arm.

8. In the combination of claim 7, the pivoting means being a jack. 

1. In combination with a continuous ingot casting apparatus having a vertically extending upper part and a horizontally extending ingot output end at a level below the upper part, a means for storing and positioning a dummy ingot in the upper part, this means comprising
 1. a guide support arranged above the ingot casting apparatus and extending from the ingot output end thereof to the level of the upper part,
 2. a carriage displaceably mounted on the guide support for movement between the ingot output end and the upper part level,
 3. a storage receptacle for the dummy ingot mounted on the carriage for movement therewith, and
 4. a device for raising the receptacle in respect of the carriage.
 2. a carriage displaceably mounted on the guide support for movement between the ingot output end and the upper part level,
 2. In the combination of claim 1, the guide support being a rail and the carriage being rollingly displaceable along said rail.
 3. In the combination of claim 1, an ingot mold in the upper part of the apparatus, and means arranged above the ingot mold for raising and guiding the dummy ingot from the receptacle moved to the upper part level.
 3. a storage receptacle for the dummy ingot mounted on the carriage for movement therewith, and
 4. In the combination of claim 1, the guide support being substantially parallel to the path of the cast ingot in the apparatus.
 4. a device for raising the receptacle in respect of the carriage.
 5. In the combination of claim 1, the storage receptacle being a basket comprising a compartment for holding the dummy ingot.
 6. In the combination of claim 5, the basket raising device consisting of an arm slidably mounted in the carriage, and the basket being mounted at one end of the slidable arm.
 7. In the combination of claim 6, the basket being pivotally mounted at the end of the slidable arm, and means for pivoting the basket in respect of the arm.
 8. In the combination of claim 7, the pivoting means being a jack. 